No, they are not necessary, but that isn't a Joystick or Yoke either.

Best use of my rudder pedals is with American truck simulator (ATS)

🤣

Not that I have time for it. MSFS is a real time consuming hog

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by Ron Lefebvre

7 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

You still need pedals for crosswind

landings

Not if your stick has a twist grip. 🙂

(Mine doesn't, but many/most do).

12 hours ago, martinboehme said:

I would echo this - it depends a lot on what you're flying.

Instead, you can turn on the appropriate assists, which is perfectly fine of course, but if you have the itch to keep those turns coordinated or counteract the main rotor's torque yourself, there are rudder pedals in your future. 😉

I'm not sure fly-by-wire makes a difference here? On the Airbus, for example, the rudder is entirely conventional, if I'm not mistaken. (It's even in the name: ELAC: "elevator and aileron computer".)

I was always under the impression that jet airlines don't need manual rudder inputs to keep turns coordinated because of a combination of a) roll spoilers and b) the yaw damper, but I'm hazy on this. 

Yes, and yes!

I'm Airbus word not allowed - just remembering lessons from my IP father to keep my feet on the floor in the jets 🙂

 

6 hours ago, jlund said:

I've never flown helicopters , because when I tried, I found it was impossible to do with just a joystick. Can you explain how you setup a joystick and rudder pedals to be used with helicopters?

VERY small movements of the controls (e.g. well under 0.25in in any direction, and really more like 0.125in)

DRASTICALLY lower your Sensitivity / Saturation settings, but keep any curves to a minimum.

Always be AHEAD of the helo's movement. Even more vital than in fixed wing.

Lots and LOTS (and then even more LOTS) of practice 😁

It's SO frustrating at first, but once it "clicks" for you (and it happens almost from one flight to the next), it's an extremely satisfying way to fly.

In v2024, the R66 seems to have the best handling available so far (no SAS getting in the way) - Carenado did a great job. The Guimbal Cabri continues to be a good one (also no SAS), as it was in v2020.

eta: keep your throttle/"collective" movement forward=power.

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by UrgentSiesta

5 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

Would it not be possible to put an aircraft in a slight bank to keep it on line if use of the rudder was not possible?

Interestingly, this is the formal advice for the US .mil T-6 Texan II...

44 minutes ago, UrgentSiesta said:

VERY small movements of the controls (e.g. well under 0.25in in any direction, and really more like 0.125in)

DRASTICALLY lower your Sensitivity / Saturation settings, but keep any curves to a minimum.

Always be AHEAD of the helo's movement. Even more vital than in fixed wing.

Lots and LOTS (and then even more LOTS) of practice 😁

It's SO frustrating at first, but once it "clicks" for you (and it happens almost from one flight to the next), it's an extremely satisfying way to fly.

In v2024, the R66 seems to have the best handling available so far (no SAS getting in the way) - Carenado did a great job. The Guimbal Cabri continues to be a good one (also no SAS), as it was in v2020.

eta: keep your throttle/"collective" movement forward=power.

This is very good advice. I ultimately ended up buying a collective because I couldn't get the precise collective control with my standard throttle, and changing the springs on my stick to lower resistance ones, now I am hooked on flying helos. My favorite aircraft type to fly in both MSFS and DCS. The coordination you need is frustrating at first, but once it clicks it is really satisfying and a fun way to engage with the scenery.

What can throw you is if you switch from an H125 to a Huey or a Bell on the next flight, and don't remember that the anti-torque is reversed and you need to apply rudder in the other direction when you lift off! 🤢😁

If flying a plane is like riding a bicycle, then flying a helicopter is like riding a unicycle during an earthquake LOL.

No way I'm enjoying rotary nor small prop plane landings without rudder pedals!

On 11/27/2024 at 5:18 PM, Sethos said:

Only if you're an old man with no coordination. 

Of course! And what a genius! You should go tell all the airline companies and plane makers of the world! 

 

What fools they are adding pedals when they can just twist it...

They'd have to prise them pedals from my cold-dead-han...I mean feet

On 11/27/2024 at 8:18 PM, Sethos said:

Only if you're an old man with no coordination. 

Not called for.

.

Edited April 27, 20251 yr by Rusty Spanner

.

Edited April 27, 20251 yr by Rusty Spanner

I tried rudder pedals but found them annoying so use the Airbus Thrustmaster TCA Joystick. There is a mod on YouTube which allows you to make the twist rudder axis optical. This replaces the noisy pot which sometimes breaks. The optical axis is much more accurate and reliable with increased resolution.

 

 

I think so, yes. Rudder pedals really add to the experience. Fine tuning them as well. Especially when you're in a crosswind in a GA plane....